Awaze Siga Tibs (Sizzling Cast-Iron Beef Stir-Fry)
አዋዜ ጥብስ·(ah-wah-zay see-gah teebs)
Ye'Fisik: Sunday Suppers and Sizzling Skillets
If you grew up in an Ethiopian-American household, you know the sound before the smell: the aggressive, popping sizzle of meat hitting a dangerously hot pan, followed seconds later by the sharp, intoxicating hit of toasted berbere and sweet red onions. For the diaspora cook navigating a Tuesday night, the secret to reproducing that grandmotherly magic isn't a long, arduous simmer or an imported clay brazier. It's a heavy, screaming-hot cast-iron skillet, a dry sear to lock the meat's fibers, and the rapid introduction of spiced butter and chili paste at the very end. Keep it fast, keep it simple, and have the injera ready before the pan even gets hot.
Before you start
Prepare all ingredients and place them within arm's reach of the stove.
Tibs cooks in under ten minutes and requires high heat; there is no time to chop onions or mix pastes once the meat hits the pan.
Whisk the berbere, olive oil, red wine, three tablespoons of water, and half teaspoon of salt in a small bowl to form the awaze paste.
Set this thick, dark paste aside. It will be the flavor engine for the dish.
Ingredients
- berbere spice blend3 tbsp
- olive oil1 tbsp
- dry red wine1 tbsp
- water3 tbsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- ribeye or top sirloin1 1/2 lb
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- red onion1 med
- garlic4 med cloves
- fresh ginger1 tbsp
- Indian ghee2 tbsp
- ground cardamom1/8 tsp
- jalapeno peppers2 med
- Roma tomato1 med
- fresh rosemary1 sprig
- water1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until wisps of smoke appear, then add the neutral oil and the salted beef in a single layer.
Let the meat sit undisturbed for two minutes to develop a hard crust. Toss and cook for another three to five minutes until the juices released by the beef have completely evaporated from the pan. You want a dry, sizzling sear, not boiled meat.
- 02
Add the sliced red onion, garlic, and ginger directly to the browned beef.
Sauté vigorously for two to three minutes until the onions soften and char slightly at the edges while retaining a bit of bite.
- 03
Lower the heat to medium and add the ghee and cardamom to coat the meat.
This is a quick hack to mimic the complex, slow-simmered flavor of traditional niter kibbeh. Immediately scrape the reserved awaze paste into the skillet and toss everything continuously for one to two minutes so the paste cooks slightly and glazes the beef.
- 04
Toss in the chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, rosemary sprig, and a tablespoon of water to deglaze the skillet.
Stir for exactly sixty seconds to warm the tomatoes through without letting them turn to mush, then remove from the heat.
Notes
Carry the smoking, sizzling skillet straight to the dining table and set it on a heat-proof trivet.
Serve immediately with fresh injera to scoop up the meat and the rich, spicy butter left in the pan.
From Heirloom Ethiopian.